BURNING OF ME GRIGG IN EFFIGY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5096, 2 September 1884, Page 3

BURNING OF ME GRIGG IN EFFIGY.

On Saturday evening a number of Ashburton men and boys, following the example that had been set them down South and elsewhere, turned out under torchlight and paraded the main street. The piocession was rather a peculiar one, and wonderfully made up. The barman of the Commercial Hotel is the owner of two or three stage-property horses, and on many a festive occasion the large pasteboard steeds have done duty. On Satiu-day they once more had a night out. Two of them were harnessed to a hand-cart, and made a most imposing tandem. The shafter was " ridden " by the local purveyor of oysters, the leader was tooled by an East street ■saddler, while torches were borne along in the procespion by a gentleman who once held a " pan " appointment under the Borough Council, and by others of quite as high standing. In the hand-cart was another steed, and on the back of this courser rode a figure, clad in grey, and wearing on its head a white hat. Its face was of paper, but it was cliflicult to discover a likeness "in the face to anybody in particular. It w.-ts generally understood however, that the demonstration was intended for the beneiit of the member for Wakanui — Mr John Grigg — and if it was, that unfortunate gentleman came in for a lot of knocking about, for blows upon the old white hat wore " showered like wintry rain." The procession started from somewhere up about the Post-oflice, proceeded down East street and Burnett street, thence to Mrs Woodley's Hotel, and back again to the Commercial, in the vicinity of which the efligy was, not burned, but very decidedly dismembered. As the procession proceeded, an occasional outburst of hooting and howling was indulged in, and, a3 if to show the promoters' opinion of the member for Wakanui, the coat the efligy won; av;is outside in, and the rather skittish hurws would persist in turning completely rouinl. Later in the evening, the materials composing the effigy were collected and nm>io a bonfire of in front of the Somerset U"'. •!.